My parents showed me this documentary on marine pollution and ocean acidification when I was six, and that’s always stuck with me. Since then, I’ve been trying to educate other people about it because it’s a topic I’m passionate about.

Gabriel Snyder

By Arianna Avita-Gutierrez

With a kind voice and bright smile, a curly-haired teenage boy reads to a group of elementary schoolers. The book of choice is a 31-page, educational narrative characterized by rhymes and colorful illustrations, the perfect book for children of all ages. The children listen intently to hear the story of a seal named Samson. It would surprise you to know that the boy reading the book actually wrote it himself.

Senior and International Baccalaureate (IB) student Gabriel Snyder independently published his children’s book, “Samson the Harbor Seal,” on October 30.

The book follows the story of a seal pup named Samson and his journey through life independently from his mother. During his journey, he encounters many challenges. The purpose of “Samson the Harbor Seal” is to educate children on the impacts that humans have on marine ecosystems and the species within them.

“I was driving to one of my beach-ups for my club and I was thinking of a way that I could get more people engaged,” Snyder said. “That’s when the idea came to me. The book did take a long time. I started drafting things over [the] summer and getting my thoughts onto paper. Over time I polished that and hired an illustrator, a former GHC student, and then everything came to life.”

Rather than writing the book simply for his IB Creativity Activity Service (CAS) Project, the topic of ocean conservation is something Snyder is wholeheartedly dedicated to in more ways than one. Not only did he start a club to educate others on ocean conservation, called Sustaining our Seas.
He also spends his weekends volunteering at the Santa Monica Aquarium, racking up an unbelievable 250+ volunteer hours.

His club Sustaining our Seas is partnered with the non-profit organization Heal the Bay. Both aim to educate and inspire their members to take action toward protecting the ocean in the form of beach cleanups and other volunteer events.

“Education is important because when people are aware of the effects of their actions, they’re more likely to change and influence others to change,” Snyder said. “My club also inspires people to get involved by offering them volunteer hours to participate in our events.”

Snyder is profoundly committed to educating others on the impacts of human activity on marine ecosystems, which is why he plans to do more with his book outside of simply publishing it.
He is working to spread Samson the Harbor Seal beyond the borders of GHC by organizing book readings at elementary schools and the aquarium where he volunteers.

Through these efforts, he hopes that his book will educate others on ocean conservation. He also plans to donate copies of his book to local libraries, schools, and the Santa Monica Aquarium.

“I want to get as many people to read it as possible because I think it has a positive message,” said Snyder. “Getting people to understand the extent to which marine pollution is affecting marine life is my ultimate goal.”

Snyder plans to pursue a career as a future environmental lawyer to have a direct impact on the state of marine ecosystems. He feels strongly about making a difference and doing something to change the way humans interact with the ocean.

“Samson the Harbor Seal” is currently available for purchase on Amazon for $10.99. Read it and learn about the challenges marine ecosystems face due to human activity.